Game 11 Preview: Purdue at #14 Rutgers

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Purdue heads to New Jersey for the second of three straight road games against top-15 opponents, visiting No. 14 Rutgers, coming off its first loss of the season, last Wednesday at Ohio State.

Schedule | Statistics | Roster

The Boilermakers are coming off their 73-70 Christmas Day win over Maryland, running their Big Ten record to 2-1 and giving Purdue its fourth win in the past five games. ... Purdue's 0-2 in true road games this season.

C — 50 TREVION WILLIAMS (6-10, 265, Junior)

13.4 PPG • 9.5 RPG • 2.6 APG • 49.2% FG

Purdue needs consistency from Williams on top of the level of productivity it relies on him for, but it's always easier said than done vs. Rutgers' Myles Johnson, whose combination of height, length and strength makes him one of the Big Ten's elite defensive big men and a tricky matchup for Williams.

F — 0 MASON GILLIS (6-6, 230, Redshirt Freshman)

6.0 PPG • 3.3 RPG • 54.8% FG • 40.9% 3-PT (9-22)

This might be Gillis' kind of game, because like Rutgers, he's physical and tough and active on the glass. Purdue will want to match Rutgers' effort if not exceed it, and Gillis seems like he could be part of the path to doing just that.

G — 55 SASHA STEFANOVIC (6-5, 200, Junior)

11.3 PPG • 3.1 APG • 50.9% 3-PT (29-57)

Chances are, Rutgers will go all out to not let Stefanovic shoot, but the more attention he has drawn this season, the more has opened up for other Boilermakers. All part of the plan. He scored 22 against Rutgers to end last season, but was 0-for-5 from the floor and scoreless last time the two teams met at the RAC.

G — 2 ERIC HUNTER JR. (6-4, 170, Junior)

12.8 PPG • 31.0% 3-PT (9-29) • 3.5 APG • 1.3 STL (6 GAMES)

Purdue's guards are going to have to be ready to handle pressure, starting with Hunter, who's mostly played really well this season since debuting at Miami. Defensively, Hunter draws a critical matchup — against Rutgers guards Jacob Young and Geo Baker.

G — 5 BRANDON NEWMAN (6-5, 195, Redshirt Freshman)

10.1 PPG • 3.7 RPG • 2.1 APG • 44.2% 3-PT (19-43)

Coming off an outstanding game against Maryland, Newman will have to be sharp on defense in Jersey, as he'll draw Ron Harper Jr., who's playing at an elite level. Offensively, Newman wants to make things happen and has so often this season, but Purdue's decision-making will have to be sound against the Knights.

C — 15 ZACH EDEY (7-4, 285, Freshman)

9.9 PPG • 4.2 RPG • 63.2% FG • 73.0% FT

In Big Ten play, things have been different for Edey, who's averaging 3.3 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Purdue will keep looking to exploit his matchup advantages, but Rutgers won't make it easy.

G — 11 ISAIAH THOMPSON (6-1, 160, Sophomore)

5.1 PPG • 1.8 APG • 38.5% 3-PT (10-26)

Rutgers' pressure did seem to affect Thompson last season and his results against pressure this season haven't been encouraging. He'll need to be solid if Purdue's going to put the ball in his hands when Hunter's out.

G — 25 ETHAN MORTON (6-6, 215, Freshman)

Morton's minutes have declined as Purdue's become whole again, but his time will come again this season. If it comes at Rutgers, his ability to handle pressure will loom large.

F — 1 AARON WHEELER (6-9, 205, Junior)

4.5 PPG • 5.7 RPG

Wheeler's doing a nice job rebounding this season and that's no small matter, but the junior really matters when he's playing with energy and being consistent from possession to possession, which has been a struggle.

G — 23 JADEN IVEY (6-4, 200, Freshman)

6.2 PPG (5 GAMES)

Ivey's coming off a great game against Maryland, maybe a breakout sort of game, which was a great sign for Purdue after he missed so much time earlier in the season. His understanding of team defense, though, as with many youngsters, is the next frontier for him, and a really important one.

C — 4 EMMANUEL DOWUONA (6-10, 245, Sophomore)

Dowuona will take some time to work his way back into shape after missing the whole preseason due to respiratory issues.

Schedule | Statistics | Roster

After missing out on the NCAA Tournament last year because of the pandemic, Rutgers is not only almost certain to make it this season, but also a viable Big Ten title contender. ... The biggest transformation in Rutgers' program has been its offensive skill. It wasn't all that long ago that Rutgers was big and tough, but couldn't shoot or score to save its life. Rutgers is 32nd nationally in offensive efficiency, per KenPom, and shooting better than 37-percent from three, good for fifth among Big Ten teams. Rutgers scored 91 against Illinois to win at the RAC. ... Rutgers is 15th nationally in defensive efficiency, per KenPom, but has been scored upon this season. Ohio State scored 80 and Illinois 88. ... Rutgers does not have promising freshman big man Clifford Omoruyi due to a sprained knee. He'd been sharing minutes with center Myles Johnson and even playing alongside him at times. ... Caleb McConnell, who played against Purdue this season and was especially effective at the RAC, is expected to redshirt this season due to injury.

C — 15 MYLES JOHNSON (6-11, 255, Junior)

7.7 PPG • 8.6 RPG • 62.2% FG • 2.4 BLK

Johnson's as good a defensive center as Purdue will see all season (and not even clearly the best it'll see this week, because of Kofi Cockburn). He's tall, long and strong, and maybe the Big Ten's best rim protector.

F/G — 24 RON HARPER JR. (6-6, 245, Junior)

23.4 PPG • 7.1 RPG • 56.4% FG • 50% 3-PT (25-50)

Harper's blown up this season, playing like an All-American, very much in the mix to finish second to Luka Garza for Big Ten Player-of-the-Year. The big wing is averaging 23-and-a-half points per game and shooting the ball at an elite level.

G — 10 MONTEZ MATHIS (6-4, 210, Junior)

14.3 PPG • 49.2% FG

The spirited wing can easily be the forgotten man here, but he shouldn't be. He's one of this team's many weapons and a real agitator on D.

G— 4 PAUL MULCAHY (6-6, 210, Sophomore)

6.1 PPG • 4.9 RPG

G — 42 JACOB YOUNG (6-2, 185, Senior)

15.9 PPG • 5.6 AST • 48.8% FG • 41.2% 3-PT (7-17)

Young — the former Kansas State transfer — has blown up this season, too, as the ultra-athletic guard is averaging just under 16 per game and shooting well from the perimeter.

G — 0 GEO BAKER (6-4, 195, Senior) (4 GAMES)

7.3 PPG

Baker missed most of the non-conference season after spraining his ankle in the opener vs. Sacred Heart. He's not yet rounded into form, shooting just 30 percent from the floor. Purdue knows better than anyone what he can do, though, after he went off in Mackey Arena at the end of regulation and in OT last March.

F — 11 MAMADOU DOUCOURE (6-9, 250, Junior)

1.3 PPG • 1.8 RPG

Is Purdue ready to win a game like this? Not sure. But experiences like those to come this week will be valuable for a Boilermaker team for which very little will come easily this season.

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